New In iOS 11: 5GHz WiFi Networks Now Preferred Over 2.4GHz For Automatic Connection

Apple’s executives may have taken to the stage during this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference to show off iOS 11 and all of the major improvements which are being brought to the table, but that didn’t include an exhaustive overview of every single refinement.

We’ve continually tried to find new changes in iOS 11 as they appear in new beta versions and as released by Apple, with one of the latest being that the platform now appears to prefer 5GHz wireless networks over the standard 2.4GHz option when joining WiFi automatically.

This is a change that doesn’t instantly appeal to everyone who has iOS 11 installed on their device. In fact, it isn’t actually an outward-facing feature or one that will be offered on a per device basis. This feature instead will appeal to those home and business owners who have a router installed in their property capable of broadcasting both 5GHz and 2.4GHz wireless networks simultaneously.

In previous versions of iOS – such as the latest public version of iOS 10 – the system would have overlooked 5GHz network as the preferred option and instead opted for the 2.4GHz variant. In iOS 11 though, this now appears to have changed.

This change is generally going to be classed as a good news for most users who have this type of network available due to the potential increase in network speeds and bandwidth, but it could also prove problematic for some. It’s a well-known problem that 5GHz doesn’t reach as far as 2.4GHz, and that specific building structures, such as doors and walls, can be a problem for signal penetration. If there is little interference in terms of doors and walls in the building, then this is a welcome new change.

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Who cares, everyone should have a dual router by now if not they’re in the Stone Age and prob 60+ years old

Bobby Z

Awesome! I have 2 5GHz SSIDs and 1 2.4GHz and it drove me crazy that it would automatically connect to the slower 2.4. I ended up just forgetting the 2.4 because of that.

Bobby Z

I don’t think you understand what the article is stating. This is for those who have more than one wifi network. Instead of the iPhone preferring a slower speed network, it’ll now prefer the faster one.

5723alex .

iOS 11 will connect to 5GHz WiFi Automatically on a dual-band router.

Kody Garner

I don’t think you understand fully everything this article is about, it talks about what you said but also about how this is affecting others that have older or low-end routers that don’t offer both frequencies simultaneously, that can cause some inconveniences.

Bobby Z

Nope I do. I also disagree with the article attempting to say that the phone preference could become an issue for some. I agree it’s well known that 5GHz doesn’t have the distance or reach of 2.4 however it fails to state that the iPhone itself will just join the 2.4 under that situation. If for example you’re only running one band (5GHz) and distance or a wall causes disconnect, that’s not at all the fault of this iPhone change and is simply the effects of the wireless network itself.

Kody Garner

That’s true in that case, it would be rare to have a network that’s only 5ghz though. In some cases it would be bad though to lose 5ghz signal then it connect to 2.4, that would cause an interruption of connection which could be devastating depending on the situation. Example, if I were in an 8hr live gaming match or conference call then losing connection would be VERY bad.

Man.Times

My phone on iOS 10 always connects to 5GHz on my dual band router so for me this something “new” that isn’t new at all (again).